The Night Light in Oakland has some cool events coming up this week. First and foremost, Moon Glyph is welcoming Austin’s Xander Harris for a headlining gig on Thursday, June 13. East Bay alumni Some Ember will support the show with San Francisco’s Muscle Drum for a night of dark synth music.

Self-described “grave wave EBM” producer Xander Harris (a.k.a. Justin Sweatt) hails from Austin, where he has been producing dark electronic music since 2009. His style draws heavy inspiration from Giallo horror films (think Dario Argento’s Suspiria), as well as early industrial music and dance-floor techno. His 2010 debut LP Urban Gothic is sold out on Not Not Fun Records. Since then, he has released a small handful of singles, EPs, digital downloads, and cassettes. His latest relesae, The New Dark Age Of Love LP, is now available from Not Not Fun. He is currently on a West Coast tour supporting the album.

Some Ember, the rising darkwave band fronted by Dylan Travis, had planned to move from Oakland to New York, but have recently been spending most of their time in San Luis Obispo, last I heard. When Dylan and his primary bandmate Nina Chase aren’t busy live-Tweeting their acid trips, they are crafting danceable goth music with guitars, drums, Dylan’s bellowing vocals, and, of course, lots of synthesizers. Their latest cassette release, Asleep in the Ice Palace (Night People, 2013), has been on steady repeat in my tape deck.

Bay Area band Muscle Drum makes similarly dark and psychedelic synth-pop, which you can listen to over on their Bandcamp page.

The following evening, June 14, The Night Light will host Jackie-O Motherfucker, Date Palms, Soft Shells, and Lady Freemountain for a night of experimental dance rock. RSVP on Facebook.

Xander Harris, Some Ember, Muscle Drum
The Night Light
June 13, 2013
9pm, $5
21+

Jackie-O Motherfucker, Date Palms, Soft Shells, Lady Freemountain
The Night Light
June 14, 2013
9pm, $10
21+